Remember to start your engines
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/04/2020 (2194 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.
That’s a tip from CAA and the owner of a Winnipeg auto shop, who want to remind Manitoba drivers to turn on any vehicle that hasn’t run in a while.
As people work from home and self-isolate during the pandemic, fewer vehicles are leaving the driveway. But it’s important to fire up that baby, making it less likely the battery will die.
“It’s a good idea to start your vehicle every six to eight days and let it run for 15 minutes,” said Marco Palumbo, owner of Maxim Muffler & Auto, while reminding people to keep the garage door open as the vehicle idles. “You can also put a trickle charger on the battery and let it sit there, keeping your battery at a full state of health.”
Frigid winter days aren’t the only times CAA Manitoba gets pleas for help from stranded drivers. During a recent four-day period (April 20 to 23), the association received 471 dead-battery calls.
“It’s certainly a bigger issue in the winter, for sure. But the spring is usually a time when we tell people to check their batteries. Right now, when cars are sitting in people’s driveways, if you have an older battery or one that doesn’t fully keep its charge, it might succumb from sitting,” said CAA spokeswoman Kaitlynn Furse.
“What we’re suggesting is people use a (trickle charger) to keep that constant power, so that if you really aren’t using your vehicle at all and you’re worried about the health of your battery, that’s a way to ensure it will start if you do need to get groceries or what have you.”
When it’s time to start the vehicle after it’s been sitting, don’t rev the engine.
“The oil will definitely settle, so you have a lack of lubrication when you start your engine. Don’t rev the engine, just let it idle on its own,” said Palumbo.
CAA suggests people add fuel stabilizer to the tank to prevent fuel from breaking down and damaging components.
Flat spots on tires can occur from the vehicle sitting in one position, so add an extra 10 PSI to the tire pressure when it is sitting idle, and remove it when ready to drive the vehicle again.
— Jason Bell